Ralfsia longicellularis is known as an endemic species in Far East Asia. In this study, we report R. longicellularis as a new record from Korea based on morphological and molecular analyses. Molecular analyses based on plastid-encoded rbcL gene sequences and morpho-anatomical studies were undertaken on Ralfsia species, a poorly studied genus from Korea. Ralfsia longicellularis is mainly characterized by a dark brown thallus; 770-1200 μm thick, curved cells in the creeping and ascending parts of the filaments; basal layer and erect filament cells with a width-to-length ratio of 1 : 1.5 to 10; narrowshaped sporangia on-stalk cells at the base of the paraphyses; and mostly uniseriate plurilocular reproductive organs capped with 1-2 sterile cells. The R. longicellularis samples from Korea in this study were similar to ones collected from the type locality (Peter the Great Bay, Russia) in morphology. The rbcL analyses also revealed that our Korean R. longicellularis samples were placed in the same clade with Russian materials, within a Ralfsia clade but distinct from the congeners.

Background : Compositae is one of the largest plant families which has high probability of diversity and mutation. Though the various researches about the Compositae are ongoing, it is incomplete and need to be conducted the molecular genetic researches to back up the previous studies. This research was performed to identify the genetic divergence of Compositae plants based on the DNA barcoding for cpDNA-matK and rbcL regions. Methods and Results : For this studies, the genetic sequence analysis (SNP/InDel) and phylogenetic analysis were conducted by using Neighbor-Joining algorithm as targeting the nineteen specimens from 7 species which received a IT number along with NCBI Genbank database (http://ncbi.nlm.nih.gov) sequences. The result of matK sequence analysis, 68 SNP and 2 InDel regions (at nt 527-538bp and 695-706bp positions) were confirmed. Also 10 SNPs were found in rbcL region. The genetic divergence showed 0.000-0.059% in matK regions, and the mean was 0.024%. The highest distance were observed between Ligualria fischeri and the group composed with Aster tataricus and Solidago virgauria (2 and 3). The sequence divergence for rbcL regions showed 0.000-0.018%, and the mean was 0.005%. The highest sequence distance in rbcL region were observed between L. fischeri group and S. virgauria (HE574593). In result of phylogenetic analysis in matK region, the most species formed independent clade. A. tataricus in Aster genus and two samples of S. virguaria in Solidago genus were formed one same clade. S. virguaria(1) and A. spathulifolius(2) has been separated into independently for the plants belonging to same genus, respectively. A. spathulifolius showed differences with NCBI data. The rbcL formed one same clade except L. fischeri and Synurus deltoides. Conclusion : This study indicates that matK is more valuable than rbcL for the distinction among the species of Compositae. This results are expected to be used for the establishment of the classification system of Compositae as well as for the studies in the development of an authentication marker.

한국산 옻나무속 6종에 대하여 분자식물학적 방법으로 계통유연관계를 확인하기 위하여, nrDNA의 ITS 구간과 cpDNA rbcL 염기서열을 사용하여 계통분석한 결과 ITS 1의 길이는 246~253 bp이었고, ITS 2는 234~244 bp이었다. ITS 1의 길이는 Rhus sylvestris와 R. succedanea에서 246 bp로 가장 작았으며, R. verniciflua에서 253 bp로 가장 긴 것으로 나타났다. ITS 2의 길이는 R. verniciflua가 234 bp로 가장 짧았으며, R. trichocarpr가 244 bp로 가장 길게 나타났다. 이들 분류군의 G+C Content는 ITS 1에서는 58.0~68.13%의 범위를 나타냈고, ITS 2에서는 59.75~68.46%로 나타나 두 구간이 비슷한 비율을 보이고 있었다. ITS 1에서의 G+C content는 R. sylvestris가 58.0%로 가장 낮았으며, 가장 높은 값은 R. ambigua가 68.13%로 확인되었다. ITS 2에서는 외군인 Cotinus coggygria가 59.75%로 가장 낮았으며, R. ambigua가 68.46%로 가장 높게 나타났다. 한국산 옻나무 속에서 ITS 염기서열은 일반적으로 피자식물이 갖는 G+C content 범위 안에 포함되는 것으로 확인되었다. 한편, rbcL의 길이는 1,428 bp로 모든 종에서 동일하였다. 또한 rbcL의 G+C content는 43.56%~43.77%로 나타나 종간에 거의 차이가 없음을 확인하였다. 연구결과 rbcL gene은 옻나무속의 종간 계통유연관계를 해석하는데 유용하지 않았으며, ITS 1 구간의 염기서열 변이는 향후 옻나무속을 분류할 때 신속하게 분류할 수 있는 분류 marker로 이용할 수 있다고 판단되었다.